Sunday, August 25, 2013

Traditionally, we think of the gallery as having the following
functions: providing an exhibition space that allows the public to view
art; offering the artist and the curator exposure and access to their
consumers; and acting as an intermediary between artists and the market,
providing artists with the potential to earn an income as a
professional. The first two functions, which connect cultural producers
with their audiences, can be executed much more efficiently on the
Internet. Artists have the ability to create vast social networks
online, promote themselves and their artworks, and use social media
platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr to share images
themselves. Further, while galleries restrict how, when, and where their
represented artists show their work to keep demand high, the attention
economy rewards artists who produce and share frequently, encouraging
artists to be productive and prolific. The Internet allows the artist
more autonomy, more agency over the dispersion and reception of their
work. Artists can be more effectual than the gallery in cultivating
attention and connecting with their audiences. Yet the gallery continues
to have the upper hand in connoting value within the art market, and
the white cube continues to be the quintessential marker of art-world
status.